Monday, September 14, 2009

Given the overwhelming resistance from the entrenched – and moneyed – “corporate right”, will US President Barack Obama’s proposed healthcare reform ever see the light of day?

By: Ringo Bones

The recent anti-healthcare reform outbursts at various town hall meetings across America reminiscent of 1989 neo-NAZI Oi! Scene punk rock parties whenever the King of Pop’s name is mentioned, I for one also wonder if the proposed American healthcare system reform is fast becoming a political – rather than a health – issue. Is the corporate side of America’s healthcare system being run by white supremacists groups given that those vehemently disrupting the town hall meetings to clarify President Obama’s healthcare reform proposals bear an uncanny resemblance of neo-NAZI youths from 1989? If this is true, then maybe South Carolina Republican Congressman Joe Wilson should find a better excuse for his recent outrage at the president’s recent congressional address other than “Aryan Nation former head honcho Richard Butler made me do it”.

After seeing Dr. Andrew Weil’s recent interview on Larry King Live, I think Dr. Weil did properly point out some aspects of President Obama’s proposed healthcare reform still didn’t tackle the root causes of those continually spiraling costs – especially systemic problems that dates back to the Reagan Administration. Especially the lack of education and information campaigns tackling the root causes of lifestyle-related health problems like diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Which can easily be avoided by preventative changes of unhealthy lifestyle choices.

Another bone of contention is that an overwhelming majority of healthcare providers – especially those in the pharmaceutical industry – has too many vested interests when it comes to the profit making side of the American healthcare system. By being too reliant on technological-based – therefore expensive – treatment regimens, it is no wonder why America’s healthcare system has been continually spiraling in cost since Ronald Reagan ruled the “free world”. Though this is to be expected since Dr. Weil is no friend to the pharmaceutical industry.

In short, blame could be mostly directed to the profit-driven healthcare providers – especially the major pharmaceutical industry with their consumer-directed medical ads that had been slowly ruining America’s healthcare system. Pfizer paying 2.3 billion-dollar payout to the US Department of Justice over the pharmaceutical company’s BEXTRA fiasco is probably just a tip of the iceberg. Not to mention the prevailing culture of the current form of the American healthcare system that denies coverage to anyone with a preexisting condition. Something the late, great Senator Ted Kennedy was campaigning passionately against.

The promise of an American universal healthcare has been a political campaign cause célèbre as far back as then US President Woodrow Wilson’s presidential campaign days. But during the Reagan Administration, an extremely radicalized greed-based interpretation of the Protestant Work Ethic had deemed universal healthcare as a Socialist ideal that is just “too Marxist” for Americans. Thus relegating America’s existing healthcare system to be in par with that of Serbia.